


The Mom Rule

by avaalons



Category: American (US) Actor RPF, Chris Evans - Fandom
Genre: Dating, F/M, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 16:11:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12302805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avaalons/pseuds/avaalons
Summary: Reader is a single parent and finds herself on a date with Chris.





	The Mom Rule

An anonymous request here!

_Can I request Chris is on a date and she lets him know she has a kid, expecting the worst like with some other guys and Chris is totally engaged asking questions and maybe it time skips a little and they have built their relationship and its finally time for Chris to meet the little guy or girl?. Obviously goes amazing cos he has the same mental age as them lol._

***

It had been going well. Almost too well, and that was making you nervous. Weird, right? Normally people get nervous before a date, or if the date is taking a dramatic nose dive in front of their very eyes. But not you, no. A date going well meant that when you did eventually reveal the truth, you’d just be all the more disappointed when he inevitably walked away and you never heard from him again.

So, you chatted and laughed over a delicious dinner and you sipped your wine carefully, just enough to try and quell the raging ball of nerves taking hold in the pit of your stomach. Your body was on automatic countdown to the moment of implosion and, damnit, you didn’t want to go there.

Maybe you could just… not mention it? Just this once? You felt certain another date was on the cards so what would it hurt to save the news until then? 

But you instantly swallowed that thought down. You needed to follow your own set of Mom Rules. It wasn’t fair, to either of them: the gorgeous, funny, affable man sat in front of you, or the beautiful little boy probably now fast asleep at your mom’s house, your adorable son who, as far as you were concerned, the sun rose and set with.

You sighed inwardly and resolved to enjoy the next half hour before you broke the news to Chris over dessert.

***

Chris was… enamoured, he had to admit. The girl - woman - in front of him had been a treat to be with since the moment you sat down. You had been a little late, only enough to make him get slightly twitchy, but had arrived flustered, apologetic, and talking a mile a minute. Traffic had been awful, it had taken forever to get a cab, you had been so worried that he’d have gone by the time you arrived.

He couldn’t help but smile, standing up to take your hand and drop a chaste kiss on your cheek. 

‘It doesn’t matter,’ he’d said, ‘you’re here now.’

And so the date had begun and Chris found himself losing track of the time more than once. He was positively surprised when his main course was placed on the table in front of him - hadn’t the starter plates just been cleared?! He was enjoying himself. More than he had for a long time, and he’d felt that longed-for click, that moment where you just know you fit together in the universe with another person. 

You were just… so at ease. Completely unfazed by him, treating him as if he was just any other guy on the planet, even though there had been considerable planning and preparation prior to this date to avoid being spotted. He didn’t want that to sound arrogant, but he had gotten used to certain reactions over the years. The one you gave was one he didn’t see very often: calm, collected and grounded. He relaxed instantly into your company and it had only got better from there. 

Every person you met in the world was a piece of a jigsaw puzzle, and although some pieces didn’t fit together, some did very easily indeed.

***

You could see the server carrying dessert over in your peripheral vision and you willed him more than anything to drop the plates, accidentally give them to another couple, anything at all that would stop them arriving at the table. Because that was your rule: you give it until dessert and if it’s going well and a another date seems likely, you take a deep breath and spill the beans.

Usually there would be a look of surprise and a slight fall in the face, and the conversation never really picks up again after that. Occasionally, a guy has pretended, or convinced themselves maybe, that they didn’t mind, that they were totally cool with kids, but the truth always, always eventually revealed itself. Luckily, it was always long before you’d ever suggested introducing him to your son. 

And now, there was your chocolate soufflé. You looked at it sadly, knowing just how delicious it was going to be but how bittersweet the taste. Picking up your dessert spoon, you slowly pierced the top, letting out the steam and gathering a small spoonful before bringing it to your lips. You idly collected another spoonful, letting your mind wander and managing to simply push your dessert around its ramekin. 

'Everything okay?’ Chris’ voice brought you from your reverie, 'Do you not like your dessert?’

Your gaze snapped back to his and you tried a smile, 'It’s delicious really. I just…’

Chris raised a patient eyebrow, 'You just…?’

You sighed and set your spoon down gently, placing your hands in your lap, 'Listen, I have something I need to tell you.’

His expression was immediately serious and guarded and you could see his gaze minutely flicker to the entrance, probably planning his escape route. He gave a short, nervous bark of a laugh and gestured towards the bar with his thumb.

'Should I be ordering a scotch for this?’

You gave what you hoped was an encouraging smile, 'No, no, I just… there’s no easy way of saying this so I’m just going to come out with it. I… I’m a mom. I have a kid. A son actually. So… yeah. There’s that…’

You had shrugged and your gaze had dropped to your hands on the word 'mom’, your thumbs nervously circling each other. There is was. Out there in the open. And you couldn’t take the words back now. But it was for the best. There was no point drawing out the inevitable. 

When you heard nothing for an uncomfortable length of time, you quickly glanced upwards to try and gauge his reaction. He looked amused and… relieved?

'Is that all? I mean, all you need to tell me?’

You could feel your brow knitting together in confusion.

'Yes…? You’re not… it doesn’t matter to you?’ You could barely believe it. Where was the other shoe and when would it drop?

He sat back in his chair, relaxed and open.

'Well, no. I mean, of course your child _matters_. But you being a mom doesn’t change… anything here,’ he gestured with his hand between the two of you, 'I was expecting you to tell me you’d set me up for the paps and had suddenly gained a conscience or… that we’d slept together in high school and I didn’t remember or something.’

You knew he was joking but you still couldn’t get past the fact that he didn’t care. Your voice was quiet but incredulous and you were sure you looked like the dumbest person alive but this… was not what you were expecting. In any way.

'It doesn’t bother you?’

'Why would it? I always thought I’d have had my own kids by now, if I’m being completely honest.’

'Huh. I’m just… not used to this reaction I guess. A lot of guys… lose interest when I tell them. So I started doing this. Following my mom rule. Gauging whether another date was on the cards by the time dessert came out and if not, I’d stay quiet. If it seemed likely, I’d break the news and prepare myself to get ghosted.’

'Ghosted?’

'Yeah, like contact just dies out gradually until they just seem like they’ve disappeared off the face of the earth.’

Chris’ brow shot up, 'People do that?!’

You reached for your wine glass, feeling lighter than ever, 'Not been on the normal people dating scene for a while, huh?’

He was bashful, 'No, uh, it doesn’t tend to work out too well. Usually.’

'Thanks for clarifying,’ you teased him and tipped your glass towards him in acknowledgement. 'So, I feel dumb now. For making that such a big deal.’

'Well, precedent didn’t make you very hopeful so don’t worry about it. So tell me: what’s his name? How old is he? You got a picture?’

You smiled. It was a revelation.

***

'You’re sure about this? Really sure?’ you asked him for the millionth time, your ear pressed to your cellphone.

'Yes, I’m really, really sure. I swear. Now will you stop freaking out? I’m not nervous at all, but you’re making me nervous,’ Chris’ deep voice filtered through your speaker. He sounded further away than usual and you knew he was using the hands free in his car.

'Okay, okay,’ you breathed, 'I’m not freaking out, I swear. This is going to be fine. He’s going to adore you, you’re going to adore him. 

'Precisely. Now go, I’m nearly at your house.’

'See you in a few minutes,’ you hung up just as the subject of your phone call came barrelling around the corner, toy rocket in hand, making zoom-zoom noises as he went. He smashed straight into you, not looking where he was going and fell down on to his bottom.

'Whoops! Up we get!’ You said quickly, pulling him to his feet before he had chance to start crying from the shock, 'You’re okay, just a little fall on your bum!’ 

He blinked, as if deciding in his three year old brain what his reaction should. He eventually settled on not crying, and held his arms up for you to pick him up. You bounced him on your hip and he swayed his rocket around in the air now that he was up higher. 

'Now Ollie, we’ve got a friend coming to visit us today, remember?’

Ollie nodded, still swooping his rocket through the air, just as the doorbell rang. You started slightly, even though you’d been expecting it and walked towards the front door. Ollie squirmed to be put down, his independent streak back with a vengeance, but as soon as you opened the door, he hid behind your legs. 

And there was Chris, smiling and relaxed as ever, and your heart skipped what felt like several beats.

'Hi,’ you breathed, stepping back slightly to let him in, Ollie moving with you.

'Hi,’ he replied, stepping through the door, not taking his eyes from your face. It felt so weird not to kiss him hello, but you agreed that you wouldn’t do anything in front of Ollie until he’d gotten used to Chris’ presence. This was all about making sure Ollie was comfortable so you were holding back. 

'Ollie, this is Chris, our friend who is visiting us today. Remember we just spoke about him?’

*** 

Chris looked down to see a small head of fine, fair hair peeking from around your legs shyly. He immediately sank to the floor, crouching so that he was on Ollie’s level.

'Hi Ollie, its nice to meet you. Your mommy has told me so many good things about you.’

Ollie darted back behind your legs, giggling nervously.

'Come on Ol,’ you encouraged, 'come out and say hi. Why don’t you show Chris your rocket?’

'Oh my goodness, have you got a rocket?’ Chris spoke animatedly, getting Ollie’s attention again. It was his favourite toy and he loved showing it off, 'Well guess what, I brought my space rocket too.’

And although you knew you shouldn’t have been too surprised, you were a little bit when Chris produced a toy space rocket from behind his back, just different enough from Ollie’s to make him want to investigate. So he took a few halting steps towards Chris, rocket in hand, as Chris held the toy out to him. 

'Well I can see that your rocket is really cool. What colour is the tip of yours?’

'Blue!’ The answer burst forth from the little boy, excited to be able to talk about his favourite thing.

'And what colour’s mine?’

'Red!’ Ollie told Chris proudly, pointing at Chris’ rocket.

'Wow, aren’t you clever?!’ Chris told him and he beamed back, 'Would you like to play with my rocket for a little while?’

Ollie nodded and hesitantly took the toy from Chris’ hand as he offered it to him. As soon as he had it in his grip, he was off through the house, zooming the two toys around as he went. 

Chris stood up and gave you a quick kiss against your smiling cheek now that Ollie was off running around the kitchen.

'What did I tell you? It was all going to be fine,’ Chris said triumphantly.

'All right, baby whisperer!’ you rolled your eyes, shoving him lightly against his shoulder, 'How did you even know about the rocket?’

'You told me about it one time. I do listen to you when you talk, you know?’ He threw an arm around your shoulders, tucking you in close to his body. 

'You know he’ll be begging for you to play with him and those rockets in about ten minutes time?’ You warned him, a palm against his warm chest.

'That’s what I’m hoping for,’ he said quietly against your hair, 'Come on, let’s go see what he’s up to.’

And with that, Chris lead you through to the kitchen where you could hear Ollie’s toddling footsteps running around on the floorboards. 

He was a natural, you thought to yourself with a smile, and, fingers crossed, this might just all work out.


End file.
